title: Direct measurement of current-phase relations in superconductor/topological insulator/superconductor junctions.
abstract: Proximity to a superconductor is predicted to induce exotic quantum phases in topological insulators. Here, scanning superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) microscopy reveals that aluminum superconducting rings with topologically insulating Bi2Se3 junctions exhibit a conventional, nearly sinusoidal 2π-periodic current-phase relations. Pearl vortices occur in longer junctions, indicating suppressed superconductivity in aluminum, probably due to a proximity effect. Our observations establish scanning SQUID as a general tool for characterizing proximity effects and for measuring current-phase relations in new materials systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States.
authors.forename: Ilya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sochnikov
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bestwick
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lippman
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldhaber-Gordon
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kirtley
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Moler